BAAQMD Advisory Council 1/8

The main item on the Air District Advisory Council Agenda for Wednesday January 8, is a staff presentation "Air District Activities Regarding Climate Protection focusing on the Energy Future of the Bay Area."

Tell the Air District's Advisory Council and Air District management that the status quo will not do.

The Air District needs to amend its rules to stop favoring permits for refinery expansions, and end implicit support for petroleum production from new oil fields by allowing new petroleum receiving and storage operations.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issues permits to 8,000 facilities. Of those 8,000 sites, five petroleum refineries emit 43% of GHGs. Bay Area gasoline use is trending down, refinery expansions need to be stopped now.

Easy permits for equipment changes at refineries amount to a subsidy for fossil fuels. ANY changes at Bay Area refineries need to be in the direction of cleaner operations and lower emissions of GHGs and other harmful pollutants.